Ahead of Budget Hearing, Coalition Calls for Local Road Fixes, Not Wasteful I-94 Expansion. A new study by 1000 Friends of Wisconsin and released today in Milwaukee by the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation finds local roads in Southeast Wisconsin in dismal shape.
Read more about "Press Release – New Study Finds Local Roads Crisis in Southeast Wisconsin"Inadequate Alternative Development
WisDOT has failed to keep up to its own goals when it fails to seriously consider a transit alternative by saying it is out of its jurisdiction. Their long-range transportation plan states “The department will seek to streamline and consolidate complex and disjointed funding and operating structures. In addition to more efficient operations, improved coordination will support more transit options for the public, improve access to jobs, and expand the area accessible by transit (including areas on the urban fringe)”.
Read more about "Inadequate Alternative Development"Lack of Cost Benefit Analyses and Disregard for Economic Costs
WisDOT does not take into account the huge maintenance and rehabilitation costs the expanded I-94 highway will require. In addition, there is no clear understanding of the economic benefits the expansion will provide due to a lack of cost-benefit analyses. The total capital cost of expanding this 3.5-mile stretch of highway is greater than the entire annual roadway maintenance and rehabilitation cost for every single highway and road in Wisconsin.
Read more about "Lack of Cost Benefit Analyses and Disregard for Economic Costs"Ignoring Demographic Changes
WisDOT ignores projections that show driving flat lining or declining into the future. Data from across the nation and in Wisconsin shows that the rate of driving has decreased or stagnated over the last decade.
Read more about "Ignoring Demographic Changes"Disproportionate Impacts on Minorities and Failure to Coordinate with Local Agencies
WisDOT does not adequately seek to understand the impacts of the projects on minority and marginalized communities and misrepresents data in claiming negligible impacts.
Read more about "Disproportionate Impacts on Minorities and Failure to Coordinate with Local Agencies"Discrepancies in Traffic Counts
With a discrepancy of 11,300 cars in WisDOT’s own data – it is baffling that a decision to expand the highway at up to a cost of $1.2 billion could be made.
Read more about "Discrepancies in Traffic Counts"